72 Hours
by EbbieBlack
Summary: Don needs a break and it's going take some drastic action to get it
1. Prologue

_Don needs a break and has to take drastic measures to get it_

_Disclaimer: The turtles aren't mine_

* * *

PROLOGUE 

Hearing the dull thuds coming from Don's room, Leo figured his brother was working on some project.

"Hey Don" he called as he opened the door, but froze when he saw his genius brother not banging a hammer, but banging his head against his desk.

"Don!" he called rushing over to stop him.

"What are you doing?" he asked bending down to eye level with Don.

"What does it look like I'm doing?" the purple clad turtle snapped.

"Umm…"

"I'm trying to see how it takes me to render myself unconscious by banging my head against my desk so that maybe I'll get a break from those two…" he waved his hands in the air to trying to find the right words, "those two _IDIOTS_ I'm forced to call my brothers."

"Ok…"

"Leo, I'm not a violent turtle, you know that, but I swear if either of those two show their faces in here within the next seventy-two hours, I will not be held accountable for my actions."

He suddenly pushed Leo out of the way, stormed over and threw open the lab door before yelling,

"DO YOU HEAR ME RAPHAEL! MICHELANGELO! 72 HOURS OR YOU BOTH WILL BE VERY, VERY SORRY!"

He slammed the door so hard Leo was surprised the door frame didn't crack.

Leo starred at what was usually the calmest most rational person in the lair next Splinter.

Donatello had become something that put even Raph at his worst to shame.

"Umm…Don?" Leo knew he had better tread very carefully.

Don eye's swung back to him as though he forgot he was there.

"Shellcycle and Game Consoles?"

"What Don?"

"If they come any where near my lab or bedroom or me within the next 72 hours you tell them Shellcycle and Game Consoles."

"Ok… I'm just gonna… yeah ok" and with that he escaped.

Once outside, he saw Mikey and Raph peeking over the edge of the couch.

"What did you two do?" He stood pointing an accusing finger at the two.

Both of them shot Leo looks of innocence and said "Nothin".

"Right. Don just threatened your Shellcycle" pointed look at Raph, "and your Game Consoles," Pointed look at Mike, "because you two haven't done anything. Yeah, I believe that."

Mike and Raph looked at Leo, surprised at the sarcastic tone he used.

"Don wont do anything Leo" Raph said turning around.

By the next morning, Raph would know different.


	2. The Warning

The Warning

The next morning, Mikey was the one to find the "message" Don had left for them.

His high-pitched scream brought Leo and Raph to him.

"Mike what's wrong?" Leo asked upon seeing Mike pale faced and looking like he was go to hyperventilate.

Mike merely pointed at the TV.

**Leonardo, Raphael, and Michelangelo,**

**This is the only warning you will receive.**

**For the next 72 hours you will not break, smash, or destroy anything if you wish to get back your 'babies' as Michelangelo would call them.**

**For you see I have taken one thing from each of you hostage to ensure your cooperation.**

**Once the 72 hours has passed your item will be returned in the exact condition it was taken.**

**And yes Leo, I even took something of yours to ensure that you keep the other two in line. **

**See you in 72 hours.**

**Oh and just so you know, Splinter knows I have done this. We have made an arrangement for me missing the next three days of training. Also, if you don't believe I'm serious check the kitchen table. **

They all finished reading the 'Warning' and looked at one another before rushing to the kitchen.

They all pulled up short at what lay on the table.

Mikey's DS lay in several pieces.

The carburetor from Raph's Shellcycle was in a similar condition.

There was only a letter lying on the table for Leo, but the way he quickly crumpled it after reading, one could only imagine that it concerned what ever Don had taken from him.

"_Don's not gonna do anything,_ huh Raph? Well this certain looks like he did something." Mike all but yelled at Raph.

Before Raph could respond, a thought seemed to occur to Mikey as his eyes widened in terror. He was there one second and gone the next.

They heard his scream of "NNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!" come from the common room and then a thud.

Once again that morning Leo and Raph rushed to Mikey.

This time they found him sitting on the floor, nearly in tears,

"He…he…he took them…every last one…" Mikey was near tears now.

"Took what Mike?" Leo asked.

"My games…he took all my games and the game systems."

Raph had had enough, he marched over to the lab door and was inches away from pounding on it when Leo caught his hand and motioned towards the TV again.

This time rather than the message, it was a video clip.

It showed the car crusher at the junkyard.

They watched as a car was dropped in and crushed.

The bottom of the screen read: **Remember Raph 72 or Else**

The meaning of the clip was not lost on any of them.

Raph looked stricken with terror as Mike had when realized that Don had gotten all his games and game systems.

Hearing a loud 'beep' they all saw a large timer flick on above the TV and the 72 hour count down began.


	3. The Explaination

Time Remaining 71:51:23.06 

Don watched as Raph stalked over to his door. Pushing a button on his keyboard, he saw Leo catch Raph just before he banged on the door.

Leo got Raph's attention back to the TV.

Raph's expression alone was worth the beat down he was probably going to get when this was all over.

He loved his brothers. Really he did.

But some times he just wanted to beat them senseless.

Which was pretty drastic coming from him.

He had to smile a little as he watched them cross to Splinter's room.

The smile disappeared as he looked at the smashed device in front of him.

"Six months of research and work…wasted" he grumbled

--

Once they had gotten over the shock of what was actually going on and that Don was serious, they high-tailed it to Master Splinter's room.

Before any of them could speak, Splinter held up a paw, "Kneel my sons."

"Now, I believe you wish to discuss something."

"Master, Why…how…" Leonardo stuttered, completely confused.

"Leonardo, I believe you are wishing to discuss Donatello's actions? As do the two of you?"

All three turtles nodded.

"You are also wondering why I have allowed Donatello to take these actions as well."

Again they nodded.

"Last night, after the three of you had retired to bed, Donatello came to speak to me. He explained to me that for the last three weeks he has done nothing but repairs various gadgets and appliances around our home. He told me that he has no time to simply enjoy things he enjoys because of these things. He also told me why he wanted to take such drastic action."

Mikey and Raph lowered their eyes at the pointed look Splinter sent them.

"But Sensei, why have you allowed him to take these personal items from us?" Leo asked.

"That was Donatello's idea. I agreed with him that he deserved a break, but knowing the three of you as he does, he knew that you would simply pile up anything broken or in need of repair until he could fix it."

"It took him some time to convince me to allow him to do these things, but in the end I agreed with him. The three of you have a very bad habit of breaking something and then dumping it on him and walking away."

Splinter sent another pointed look at Raphael and Michelangelo as he spoke.

"Donatello has assured me that no harm will befall your items as long as he is left in peace for the next three days."

"After we finished our discussion, I mentioned that to prevent this from happening again it might be a good idea that you three begin helping him around our home more."

The three looked at one another in confusion.

"Now then, Michelangelo." Splinter motioned him forward, "Donatello has left this for you. It is instructions for repairing your 'DS' as Donatello said. He assured me that you could perform the simple task of repairing it."

Mike looked at the collection of papers. Looking at them as though they were written in a foreign language. He glanced over them and saw Don had written very simple instructions and even provided drawings that went with each step.

"Ok Sensei."

"Raphael, Donatello has asked that you perform any and all vehicle maintenance that comes up and he also asked me to give you this list of items that he needs complete on the vehicles. He said you could handle this."

Raphael looked over the list Splinter had just handed him. His eyes grew large at all the items,

"But Sensei, how am I suppose to get all this done in the next three days?"

"Raphael. Donatello does not expect you to complete the list, he merely wishes that you complete as many items as you can."

"Now Leonardo. Donatello has asked that you monitor the security system. He left an instruction manual at the computer terminal. He also asked me to make sure you received his note that was left on the kitchen table."

"I received it Sensei."

"Very well. He also wishes for you to know that if any emergency does come up to let him know. He does not wish for any of you to come to harm because you think you cannot bother him. So any injuries that require medical attention that is beyond your knowledge of first aid, you are to notify him immediately."


	4. The Calm before

**Time remaining 71:32:11.02**

Slowly the three turtles left their father's room. Still slightly in shock not only from Don pulling this stunt but that Splinter agreed with him.

Mike and Raph sank down onto the couch while Leo sat down into one of the armchairs.

For some time they simply sat staring off into nothing. Mike was the first to speak,

"Umm… I think we need to set a few ground rules 'cuz we ain't gonna make it otherwise dudes."

He looked at Leo and than Raph. They looked back at him wondering where this was going,

"Ok, first of all Leo. You are not allowed to touch anything in the kitchen unless it involves the sink or teapot."

"What exactly are you implying Michelangelo?!" narrowed eyes focused on Mike waiting for an explanation.

"Dude you kill more kitchen appliances than Raph and I combined. Just last week alone you made the microwave explode, again, sliced the blender apart because it wouldn't work 'cuz you forgot to plug it in and not two days ago you set the toaster on fire, third time this month by the way. So unless you're makin tea, washin dishes or eating, stay out of the kitchen."

Raph snickered as he listened to Mikey lay into Leo.

"And you." Mikey continued turning his attention on Raph, "I think it's time you listened to Don and go for a ride on your shell cycle or sewer sled before you blow up."

"And what are you gonna be doin' to keep oudda trouble 'cuz ya realize you're usually the reason I blow my top Mikey. When I'm not blowing it 'cuz of Leo."

Now it was Raph's turn to get the glare from Leo.

"And since you don't have your game systems, you're gonna have lots of free time. So you need somethin' ta do…" Raph said as though he was thinking out loud. Leo caught his eye and caught onto where he was going with this.

"Well Mike, since you've got all this free time now, you can join me in the dojo for extra training sessions." Leo said with a smirk.

Mikey's jaw literally hit the floor, "ummm… yeah… I'm just gonna go… DS needs to be fixed… yeah…"

With that he disappeared into the kitchen with Leo and Raph's laughter following him.

--

The next few hours passed in relative silence. Mikey sat at the kitchen table putting his DS back together, Leo sat on the couch reading the security manual Don had left for him and Raph was working on one of the sewer sleds that Mikey had recently crashed.

Then it happened...

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I know it is really short, but the next one will be much longer, I promise 


End file.
